The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-08-04
Civil-Service Reformers Not Likely to
Prefer Charges Against Higgins.
Probability that the Case Against Surgeon
Crawford May Be Taken to the United
States Supreme Court = Notes.
DEMOCRATIC VETERANS.
They Forward Resolutions DeDouncfng Their
CoxaaraGias axadIn dorxix,s- the Presidenf


Comrades and Indorsing the President.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 3-Genera Rosecrans
recently received from Charles Whitehead,
chairman of the committee resolutions of
the National Veterans Association of Des
Moines. Ia. copies of resolutions adopted by
shat association repudiatlng the utterances OF
certain members of the G. A. r. in connection
with proposed visit OF President Cleveland TO
ST. Louis while the Grand Army encampmenl
in progress there, commencing the Presi-
dents veto of the dependent pension BILL con-
cemnng the efforts of ''those who seek by the
rebel-fae episode to rekinde the flames of Sec
tional hate and contention unmanly, un-
patriotic, and meriting the contempt of intelll-
gent men,
The resolutions also compliment General
Blacks administration OF the Pension Ofice
General Rosecrans WAS requested to deliver
copies of these resolutions both the President
and to General Black. To-day he called the
President, and in presenting them said:
''Mr. Presidential the request of the Nation
al Veterans Association, of Desmoines, Ia,
in mass convention assembled, on the 18th day
of July, ultimo, have the honor to present to
you this engrossed copy of the resolutions then
passed, declaring the views of these veterans
respecting the attempts of certain officers
and members of the society of the
Grand Army of the Republic to prevent the
hospitalites rendered to him by the city of St
Louis on the occasion OF the meeting of the Ma
tional encampment Of the Grand Army of the
Republic, which had voted to become
her guest. AS member of that society,"
it affords me pleasure to perform this
duty, and to state my concurrence
in the sentiments expressed by these resolutions.
/ am pleased to say that | believe the general
tenor of these resolutions is in accord with the
views and feelings of the vast majority of the
members of the Grand Army of the Republic as to
he auo fbae Of of
Union, and to the propriety of denouncing
him for doing what he believes to be his
official duty. feel equally assured that these
sentiments will command the assent of that
much larger body of ex-Union soldiers not be-
longing to tho society of the Grand Army of the
Republic. who are surviving members of the real
Grand Army of the Republic, which, after
ing the nations life, dissolved and Joined the
great industrial body which assures the wealth,
the glory and the prosperity of our country"
President Clevelau J., replying TO General
Rosecrans, said:
Without reading the resolutions presented
by you IN such gratifying manner, have only
to say that, judging from the tenor of your
marks. tie aStion of the veterans mentioned is
in the direction of acknowledg ging the duty which
devolves upon them as veterans to
emphasize the value of their SER
vices in the field by patriotic
service at home. and to demonstrate the same
bravery shown in battle by carriage no less
conspicuous when called upon to defend and
maintain the freedom and patriotism which in
peace is the safety of American institutions.
Understanding this to be the purpose of the
resolutions, am glad to receive them at your
hands"
General Rosecrans to-day sent the following
note to Commissioner Black, with copies Of the
resolutions:
.'General--In compliance with the request con-
taine0 in the accompanying letter from the
committee on resolutions, it affords great
pleasure TO present this engrossed copy Of the
resolutions expressing the sentiments of the Dem
ocratic veterans of the National Veteran Associ-
alton, of Des Moines, Ia. in mass convection
assembled July 15 1887. These resolutions are
replete with patriotism, tgood and just
denunciation of the disloyalty to the country
and treason TO the spirit of the society of the
Grand Army of the Republic manifested in the
recent attempts of certain officers and members
of that organization to raise, for partisan pur
poses, an outcry against the chief magistrate
of the Nation and to prevent him from accepting
the hospitalities rendered him by the city of st.
Louis at the same time that the national encamp-
mert of that order had accepted the invitation to
a generous welcome. No less gratifying the
declarations of the resolutions, characterizng as
wholly Incompatible with that loyalty which
is OF the three fundamen tails of that society,
the attempt to use it's voice in denuncation
of the President for the discharge of a painful
duty according to his Judgment and conscience.
When it IS remembered that largely more than
one-half of the rank and file of the Union
army, probably of those enlisting for the three
months service. and certainly of those who
came in afterwards were either Democrats
or merely Union men, it will be
plainly why the G. A r
as Republican machine, was a miserable fail
ure; why it at late time only revived when
made fundamental why
the hypocrisy of violating this principle by
taking small partisan advantages in the choice
of its officers. posts and Communicates. and the
paying of special public favors and honors TO cor-
rades of the Republican persuasion has hitherto
created such distrust OF its spirit prevent
the society from including double, and possibly
triple, its present membership, and command
ing universal respect for that self-con-
trolling loyalty which covered with glory
it's members during tho dark days of
war for the Union. The resolutions
" i'll say that if this spirit of partsanship canno.
be restrained, it will be a matter TO De consid-
cred whether the survivors OF the real Grand
Army of the Republic would not better have
some other organization. / take pleasure in
noting the just comme ndatiou given in these
resolutions to the administration of the pension
office since you have been commissioner of pen
sions."